DANIELS: Reebok Breakout Classic, Day Two

PHILADELPHIA -- A number of high-major prospects stepped up their game on day two of the evaluation period at the Reebok Breakout Classic. Jawun Evans, Derryck Thornton, Justin Simon and Derek Jones were among the days top performers.

EVANS SHOWS ELITE SPEED

Every time Jawun Evans stepped on the court at the Reebok Breakout Classic, he was the fastest player on the floor.

That type of speed at the point guard position is game changing. Just as he’s done for majority of the spring, Evans used that speed to positively impact the game for his camp team.

“Being a fast player, I can get past anybody at will and I can get up and down the court,” Evans told Scout.com.

Evans impressed with his ability to make plays in transition and get by the first line of defense in the half court set. He even took pride in his defense, which you don’t see much during camp ball.

“I think I’m playing very well,” Evans told Scout.com. “I’m just playing defense.”

One area Evans has improved is his decision-making. Multiple college coaches mentioned this in the stands and it is clear he’s getting more and more comfortable as a facilitator and passer.

“The next step is trying to see where I’m going to take my visits,” Evans said.

At this point, Evans doesn’t have any visit dates set up.

Day Two Top Performers

Derryck Thornton, PG: The past three weeks have been quite successful for this 6-foot-1 lead guard out of Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep. He’s playing with supreme confidence and that’s evident. He has total command of his team, creates for his teammates and puts his passes on the money. He’s also starting to hit from mid-range with consistency. On the other end, he moves his feet well and is making life difficult for the opposition. He’s clearly an elite player in 2016 and is making a run at the No. 1 point guard spot.

Derrick Jones, SF/PF: Jones broke out during the second game of the day going for 31 points. A 6-foot-6 forward with wide shoulders and long arms, Jones used his athleticism in transition. In the first half alone he scored five buckets at the rim with the majority being dunks. Jones also connected on a pair of runners. He’s tough to stop in transition, as he’s an elite athlete and has terrific body control. The southpaw isn’t known for his shooting, but the form on his shot is fine and he did manage to connect on a three-pointer in his morning and afternoon game.

Donovan Mitchell, SG: One of the players that was receiving a considerable amount of buzz on the second day of the Reebok Breakout Classic was 6-foot-3 scoring guard. Mitchell, who has a powerfully built frame, is a very good athlete that can make plays in transition. He also has potential as a defender and he puts effort into that end of the floor. One of the biggest differences I saw in his game was his shot making. He made multiple threes in his morning game and shot the ball with confidence. Memphis and Louisville offered him after watching on Thursday.

Perry Dozier, SG/SF: For the second day in a row Dozier, a 6-foot-6, 180-pounder, impressed with his feel, vision and decision making. He was effective with the ball in his hands and while he doesn’t possess great speed, he does change his pace well and didn’t show any signs of struggling with ball pressure here. He also made shots at the Reebok Breakout Classic, both from mid-range and three.

M.J. Walker, SG: Although he’s just a 2017 recruit, Walker, a native of Atlanta, is already well known in recruiting circles. Walker is impressive physically, especially for his age, as he stands 6-foot-4, has broad shoulders and appears stronger than most seniors in the event. A good athlete, Walker is also skilled and makes things happen when he has the ball in his hands. His passing particularly stood out on Thursday, as I recorded him for five assists in his first game of the day.

Mike Watkins, PF/C: Penn State did a great job locking Watkins, a 6-foot-9, 230-pound post player, up early. Against size at camp, Watkins continuously outplayed the opposition, battled on the back backboard and ran the floor looking to score. Watkins brought energy to the game and used his athleticism in the paint. Although he’s still a tad raw on offensive, he can finish plays around the basket and looks to dunk everything inside.

Justin Simon, PG: A tall, versatile lead guard, Simon is an impressive long-term prospect. Simon plays with poise and has a comfort level when he has the ball in his hands. He has impressive vision, puts his passes in the right spots and is tough to stop in transition. Defensively, he has a lot of upside, as Simon can defend multiple perimeter spots and uses his length and impressive laterally quickness to make it tough on opposing players. He had a strong first two days at Reebok Breakout Classic.

Dupree McBrayer, SG/PG: An intriguing combo guard prospects, McBrayer’s value is in his ability to shoot the ball from three. He has a quick trigger, good range and shoots the ball well on the move. But at Reebok Breakout Classic on Thursday, he passed the ball quite well. He makes good decision with the ball and kept making the right basketball play. The stat sheet had him for two assists, while I had him for six. He also knocked down a three when a defender went under a screen and scored at the rim in transition.